What the Garden Tells Me

Monica Mikai (MonicaMikai.com) has illustrated numerous picture books, including Build a House (by Rhiannon Giddens), My Name Is a Story (by Ashanti), The Proudest Color (by Sheila Modir and Jeffrey Kashou), You Are Getting Sleepy (by Lori Alexander), and Stacey Abrams: Lift Every Voice (by Sarah Warren). What the Garden Tells Me is her debut as author-illustrator. She has a BA in art and elementary education from Rider University and an MFA in painting from the New York Studio School. When Monica isn’t working, you can find her outdoors enjoying nature with her husband and two sons.

“An urban garden serves as a teacher and guide to a Black child. A golden gate in the young narrator’s city leads to a beautiful garden. It’s a place full of ‘wonder and wisdom,’ where each flower is a teacher. . . . Mikai’s attractive digital illustrations pair well with her soulful prose. The cityscape is depicted in muted purples and blues, allowing the vibrant flowers to truly pop. Urban dwellers may well be inspired to seek nature in their own backyards. In an author’s note, Mikai discusses the rewards of slowing down and seeking solace in nature; she encourages readers to learn more about flowers. A lovely book that speaks volumes.” —Kirkus Reviews